# 98 Park Ave won't start **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** parkingbrakes, electrical-wiring, start, buick\ **Created:** [January 5, 2011, 8:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/98-park-ave-wont-start/59582 "2011-01-05T20:12:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Drew88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@Drew88](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Drew88)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 8:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/98-park-ave-wont-start/59582/1 "2011-01-05T20:12:58Z")
About 5 months ago the “check engine” light was on, but I didn’t have it checked out because the car wasn’t doing anything crazy. After being on for a month or so I went to park the car and when I turned the keys off everything electrical in the car went dead (radio, lights, etc). Turning the key back on got no response, so I got out and played with the battery wires thinking there was a loose connection or something. I tried the key again and still got nothing, but after sitting in the car doing nothing for a few minutes I tried it again and it came to life. The car was fine until a few weeks later when I was slowing down to stop at a four-way and as I decelerated to close to zero the car shut down (everything, engine, electrical, etc.). I did the same as before and jiggled the wires and let it sit for a few minutes and it came back on. After that the car was fine for a couple months before going through this cycle of shut-downs again- the first as I was parking the car, the second a few weeks later as I was braking. Not wanting to have the car cut out like that on me while on the road again I began using my wife’s car as much as possible. This, however, caused the battery in the Buick (which is less than a year old) to need to be jumped after sitting a week or two. This brings us to my current dilemma- the car won’t start even with a jump. When I try to start the car nothing comes on (no electricity). When I hook it up to a power source to be jumped the lights/radio will all come on, but nothing happens when I turn the key to start it (no crank). I’ve tightened the battery and such, but it doesn’t seem to help. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/d/1d47c66a543aa6c5a7873bb2320858f978ff52ed.png) [@system](https://community.cartalk.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 9:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/98-park-ave-wont-start/59582/2 "2011-01-05T21:50:54Z")
Remove battery cables from battery and clean. With these side terminal batteries, the doubled up positive is usually where you’ll find the problem. Use a wrench or socket. Not pliers. 8 ft lbs is the proper torque. ---
**Author:** ![Cougar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cougar/32/21348_2.png) [@Cougar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cougar)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 10:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/98-park-ave-wont-start/59582/3 "2011-01-05T22:45:25Z")
If cleaning the battery connections doesn’t help then check to see if power is getting to the power panel under the hood. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 12:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/98-park-ave-wont-start/59582/4 "2011-01-06T00:54:30Z")
I recommend starting out by removing and cleaning each end of every cable going to the battery.